Food Additives—opportunity or Threat? “Glasses” as an Active Learning Method for Teaching Socio Scientific Issues

This article presents a case of good pedagogical practice in chemistry education: the active learning method “Glasses” (role playing combined with collaborative learning, text work, and debate) applied to the socio scientific issue (SSI) of food additives. Implemented in a December 2025 microteaching session with second year master’s students in Chemistry and Medical Chemistry at Jagiellonian University (winter semester 2025/26), the approach fostered critical discussion, multi perspective reasoning, and evidence based argumentation. Students were randomly assigned to roles—doctors, lawyers, scientists, producers, and influencers—and received role tailored texts (generated with Gen AI except for the influencer role, which AI refused to produce due to factuality constraints). The activity began with a short role play scenario and continued as a moderated, whole group discussion. A qualitative evaluation, based on instructors’ observations, in class feedback, assessment cards, and an anonymous post session survey, indicated perceived knowledge gains, strong engagement, and improved confidence. Frequently recalled concepts included legal regulations, mandatory safety testing, and “the dose makes the poison,” with students acknowledging that additives contribute to food security. The method’s strengths, limitations, and Gen AI affordances are discussed, and implications for practice are provided, including role switching (“swapping glasses”), visual supports to reduce reading fatigue, and careful moderation to balance emotional engagement with scientific rigor. Keywords: socio scientific issues (SSI), role playing, active learning methods, food additives, misinformation, AI in education, chemistry education, microteaching